Community Voices: Keep a safe distance from ambulances

Such an avoidable tragedy — a few weeks ago an ambulance transporting a patient to a dialysis appointment was struck by a car, causing the ambulance to roll over and killing the patient inside. Video surveillance of the accident shows that the offending driver ran through a stop sign, slamming into the emergency vehicle, taking the life of the 58-year-old Upton woman and injuring the paramedic tending her.

Such an avoidable tragedy — a few weeks ago an ambulance transporting a patient to a dialysis appointment was struck by a car, causing the ambulance to roll over and killing the patient inside. Video surveillance of the accident shows that the offending driver ran through a stop sign, slamming into the emergency vehicle, taking the life of the 58-year-old Upton woman and injuring the paramedic tending her.

This heartbreak should serve as a cautionary tale to give emergency vehicles a wide berth, particularly during inclement weather. Obvious as it may seem, this appeal, as sadly illustrated by the above-referenced catastrophe, cannot be overstated.

When an ambulance is in motion without use of flashing lights and siren, it typically means one of two things – it is on its way to pick up an individual needing medical attention or is delivering a patient to an appointment. While it is the law to pull over to allow emergency medical vehicles to pass during emergency transport, the utmost consideration should also be extended to ambulances in travel regardless of the reason for transport. And during this extraordinarily challenging winter when snow and ice covered roads can make even a short trip to the grocery store treacherous, it is imperative that extra caution is taken.

In general, the best tactic during bad weather is to avoid driving at all, but if getting from here to there and back again is necessary, the following are a few safe driving tips that should never be compromised:

— Increase your following distance; there is never a good reason to be any less than a car length from the vehicle in front of you, particularly when road conditions are poor.

— Slow down. It takes extra time to brake when combatting snow covered or slippery roads; the slower you go the easier it will be to maintain control and stop your vehicle.

— Use extreme caution near intersections. Taking for granted that you have a green light or right of way can result in a fatal assumption. Make sure intersections are clear and always keep a look out for potential hazards.

— Do not get too close to or pass snowplows and sand trucks.

— Avoid unnecessary lane changes.

— Maintain both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road.

— Make sure headlights are on when visibility is poor, if snow is flying or rain is falling. It’s a good rule of thumb to always have your headlights on if windshield wipers are going.